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The Routes of Mexico
Unique Experiences in Culture, History and Discovery
What’s your pleasure? Each memorable Route of Mexico presents peak experiences in gastronomy, ecotourism, adventure, beach living, art, culture and history that can’t be duplicated anywhere else in the world.
The Baja Route
Wine Country and the Aquarium of the World
Always a magnet for adventurers, athletes and gourmands, Mexico’s Baja Peninsula offers amazing diversity. Sixteenth-century Spanish friars originally planted grapevines in the verdant Valle de Guadalupe. Mexico’s sophisticated wine region offers quaint inns, fine restaurants, August’s popular Fiestas de la Vendimia celebration and boutique vintners that have garnered more than 230 international awards in the last four years. Travel to central Baja to enjoy the stunning biodiversity in the mountain landscapes near San Pedro Martir. Journey on to Baja’s southern tip on the Sea of Cortéz and spend some time around Los Cabos and La Paz to take in the historic missions, white sand beaches, fabulous resorts and, from January through March, the world-renowned migration of gray whales.
The Volcano Route
The Art of Tequila and Music Under the Sun
Historic and cosmopolitan Guadalajara, birthplace of such cultural icons as mariachi music and the sombrero, also boasts six universities, two culinary institutes, 22 museums, a thriving art scene and the Hospicio Cabañas, a World Heritage Site. Travel 40 miles northwest through fields of blue agave to the town of Tequila, birthplace of the drink that bears its name, where you can sample top-shelf blends while discovering the artful magic of their production. Continue on to Mexico’s fabulous Pacific coast and the world-famous resorts and galleries of Puerto Vallarta, the classical port of Manzanillo and the small fishing towns in Nayarit state. Along the way, admire the rugged calderas of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt while enjoying good music, delicious gastronomy and, in the evenings, more of that superb tequila.
The Altiplano Route
The Birthplace of History and Romanticism
Nestled high in the central altiplano, the route between Zacatecas and Mexico City witnessed both the War for Mexican Independence and the Mexican Revolution. Zacatecas, a World Heritage Site, was one of the most important settlements in New Spain, thanks to its rich silver mines, and was a key prize in the Mexican Revolution, when Francisco (Pancho) Villa wrested the area from forces loyal to President Victoriano Huerta. Charming Aguascalientes offers more old-world romanticism in its architecture and culture, while beautiful and trendy San Miguel de Allende, the home of national independence hero General Ignacio Allende, mixes picturesque cobblestone streets and colonial architecture with a vibrant art scene and renowned luxury hotels such as the Dos Casas or the Casa de Sierra Nevada.